Foot-operated, bottled-liquid dispensing apparatus



L. C. ROSS Feb. 8, 1966 FOOT-OPERATED, BOTTLED-LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 17, 1962 Leonard CROSS INVENTOR.

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FOOT-OPERATED, BOTTLED-LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /30 Leonard CROSS INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,233,787 FGOT-QPERATED, BOTTLED-LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Leonard C. Ross, Sweet Home, Greg, assignor to Roilin W. Emerson, Portland, Greg.

Filed Dec. 17, 1962, Ser. No..245,tl56 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-179) This invention relates to foot-operated apparatus for dispensing the liquid contents of bottles and other containers. It pertains particularly to foot-operated dispensers useful in dispensing controlled amounts of germicidal and detergent liquid compositions used by surgeons as surgical scrubs.

It is the general object of this invention to provide a foot-operated apparatus for dispensing the contents of bottled liquids, which:

( 1) Is completely sanitary, being foot operated and not subject to contamination by manual contact, intake of polluted air, or other factors;

(2) Is positive in its operation, being mechanically operated so that a precisely controlled quantity of liquid may be discharged from the container at the direction of the person using the dispenser;

(3) Is adapted for use with standard, commercially available containers without modification;

(4) Is adaptable for use with disposable type containers so that no cleaning is necessary; 7

(5) Is shielded effectively to prevent contamination;

(6) Is quick and easy to reload;

(7) Is not subject to corrosion even when used for dispensing liquids containing iodine;

(8) Is smooth in operation and free from binding;

(9) Is readily adaptable for mounting either on a wall or on a standard;

(10) Is mountable and usable in conjunction with an ordinary washbowl and does not require special plumbing for use; I

(11) Delivers a uniform amount of liquid over the entire delivery cycle; and

(12) Securely locks the container in place so that it can not be dislodged accidentally when mounted on the dispenser.

, FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the unit of FIGS. 1 and 2, the section being taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a standard-mounted unit of the herein described dispensing apparatus; and

FIG. 5 is a view in elevation of the standard-mounted unit of FIG. 4, partly broken away to show the interior construction.

Describing first the wall-mounted unit of FIGS. 1-3:

This unit is designed for attachment to a wall or partition 10 and is provided with a foot-operated lever assembly which rests on the floor '12 adjacent the wall.

The foot-operated lever assembly is indicated generally at 14. It is associated in its operation with a dispensing head 1% including a container-supporting unit.

The container supported in the latter unit may be diverse in size, configuration and material of construction. In the illustrated form of the invention, it comprises a plastic bottle 18 of substantial size and containing a germicidal detergent to be dispensed through the opening in the neck 20 at the outer extremity of which is an annular flange 22.

Patented Feb. 8, 1966 A plunger-type pump 24 is mounted in the container for dispensing its contents. The plunger 26 of the pump extends outwardly through the opening in the neck 20 of the bottle and normally is urged outwardly by spring or fluid pressure in known manner. It is capped by a head 28 to which is connected a laterally extending dispensing spout'3tl, the extremity of which is bent arcuately to minimize dripping.

This assembly, ie, the container, pump and dispensing spout, are conventional and form no part of the present invention, which provides a means for dispensing from the container metered increments of its contents from a remotely located, foot-operated lever assembly. The construction of this assembly is particularly apparent in FIG. 2.

Thus it comprises a base plate 32, with base pad 33, which supports an end plate 34 having therethrough a transverse opening 36, and a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending side plates 38.

A hooded pedal 40 having a corrugated upper contact surface is pivoted to side plates 38 by means of a pivot pin 42. 7

Also pivoted between the side plates is a bellcrank lever 44, supported on pivot pin 45. The upper end of this lever mounts a roller 46 which tracks on the inside top surface of pedal 40.

The lower end of lever 44 is penetrated by an opening through which extends one end of a link member 59 which preferably comprises a flexible, push pull type cable made up in the usual way of an outer sheath 52 and an inner, axially movable core 54.

The lower terminal portion of core 54 of link member 59 is secured to the lower end of lever 44 by means of a set screw 56. It is guided during motion of the lever by means of a longitudinal groove or guideway 58 which has an appreciable radius. This feature is important since it makes possible applying uniform tension to the link member at all intervals of the operating stroke of pedal 40. This in turn insures uniform delivery from dispensing spout 30.

The dispensing head, indicated generally at 16, is supported on a base 60 secured by screws or otherwise to Wall 10 at an elevation convenient for use and, if desired, at a location above or adjacent a washbowl. The base supports a housing 62 having a vertical passageway 64 through its lower end, and a support wall 66. To the latter is afiixed by means of bolts 68, 7G a supporting bracket 72, the lower end of which is formed with a link guide '74.

Bolt 68, also mounts an angularly bent second bracket 75, the upper end of which supports a U-shaped spring member '76. To this in turn is welded, or otherwise fixed, in nesting relation, a U-shaped arm unit including a pair of spaced, laterally-etxending arms 78, (FIG. 3). These provide the means for mounting container 18. Accordingly they are provided with horizontal flanges '82, 84 which are notched, as indicated in FIG. 3, to receive the neck 20 of container 13.

Since the U-shaped arm unit, as well as U-shaped spring member 76 inherently are resilient in character, it is possible to spread apart arms 78, 80 as required to insert the neck of the container between them. Thereupon the resilient pressure exerted by member 76 urges the arms toward their normally closed position in which they grip and secure the neck of the container.

Hood means are provided for enclosing the container top, the pump which it contains, and the above-described container-mounting assembly.

The hood means comprises the hooded member 9%) having a front face 92 provided with a slot 5%, and a pair of side walls 96, 98. The rear of the hood is open.

Hood is pivotally mounted by means of integrally formed pivot points 99 and hence may be adjusted between the raised, dotted line position and the lowered, full line position of FIG. 2, making it easy to load and unload the dispenser.

Suitable pump actuating means also is housed in casing 62 and hood 90.

In the illustrated form of the invention such means comprises an angularly bent bar 100, one end 102 of which, in the normal installation, extends substantially horizontally and bears against the upper surface of head 28 of the dispensing pump. The other segment 104 of the bar normally extends substantially vertically and is connected to the upper end of link member 50.

Angular reciprocation of pedal 46 thus induces vertical reciprocation of the pump-actuating member 1130. This in turn operates the pump.

Bracket '75 accordingly serves three-fold functions.

First, its upper end is formed with a vertical extension 112 which, in turn, is provided with a guide slot 114 (FIG. 3). This guides the motion of segment 102 of pump-actuating bar 10!).

Secondly, the upper end surface of section 112 supports hood 90 in its lowered position by bearing against abutment 116 on the under surface thereof (FIG. 2).

Third, the extreme lower end of the bracket is provided with a perforated, horizontal section 113 through the opening in which extends the lower end of section 104 of the pump actuating bar.

This affords means for mounting a compression spring 120 which is slipped over the bar with its upper end received in an inverted cup 122 secured to the bar .by a set screw 124. Accordingly downward motion of foot pedal 40, and of pump-actuating bar 100, is opposed by spring 120. Upon release of pedal pressure, the spring then returns both of these elements to their retracted positions.

The apparatus of FIGS. 4 and 5 is very similar to the foregoing, with the exception that it is adapted for independent mounting on a standard, rather than on a wall.

Accordingly, there is provided a substantial base 130 formed with a socket 132. The foot-operated lever unit 14, previously described, is dimensioned to seat in socket 132, being retained in position by base plate 32.

Supported by base 13% is a standard 134 which may comprise a pipe or other hollow member having a longitudinal bore dimensioned to receive link member 56 To the upper end of standard 134 is afiixed the dispensing head assembly indicated generally at 16. This is designed to receive and support container 18 with dispensing spout 36, as well as to actuate the pump contained therein in the manner described above.

The dispensing head assembly is secured to the upper.

The operation of the presently described dispensing apparatus, essentially the same for both' forms of the apparatus is as follows: a

First, hood 99 is raised until it is almost vertical. Next, arms 78, '89 are spread apart so that neck 20 of container 18 may be inserted between them, the pump unit including plunger 26, head 23 and dispensing spout 30 being in operative position in the neck of the container. The hood then is lowered until abutment 116 on the undersurface thereof abuts against the .upper surface of segment 112 of bracket 75.

In use, the physician or other operator presses downwardly on foot pedal 40. This rotates lever 44 in a clockwise direction, pulling core member 54 of linkage 50 downwardly. This in turn moves actuating bar downwardly so that bearing section 102 thereof depresses plunger 26 of the pump, but against the force of compression spring 120. A precisely controlled amount of liquid then is delivered from dispensing spout 31).

Upon release of foot pressure on pedal 49, spring 126 returns the, apparatus to its starting position. The cycle then may be repeated as often as necessary.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for use in dispensing liquid from a necktype container having a plunger-type pump. mounted therein and projecting outwardly through the neck thereof, the pump also having a discharge opening extending outwardly through the neck of the container, said apparatus comprising:

(a) foot operated lever means,

(b) container mounting means including a pair of spaced spring arms adapted to receive between them the neck of the container in resilient frictional engagement, the container mounting means being adapted for location at a station remote from the lever means,

(c) a hood pivotally mounted on the container mounting meansand adapted for movement between raised and lowered positions, the hood being dimensioned -to confine, when in lowered position, the resilient spring arms, thereby preventing inadvertent release of thecontainer,

(d) pump plunger actuating means mounted for reciprocation relative to the container mounting means and positioned for working contact with the pump plunger projecting from the container when the latter is mounted in the container mounting means, the actuating means comprising an angularly bent bar and guide means guiding the same,

(e) resilient 'means connected to the pump plunger actuating means and opposing the action of the lever means,

(f) and link means interconnecting the lever means and the actuating means.

2. Apparatusfor use in dispensing liquid from a necktype container having a plunger-type pump mounted therein and projecting outwardly through the neck thereof, the pumpalso having a discharge opening extending outwardly through theneck of the container, said apparatus comprising: 7

(a) foot operated lever means,

(b) container mounting means including a pair of spaced spring arms adapted to receive between them the neck of the container in resilient frictional engagement, the container mounting means being adapted for location at a station remote from the lever means,

(c) a hood pivotally mounted on the container mounting means and adapted for movement between raised and lowered positions, the hood being dimensioned to confine, when in lowered position, the resilient spring arms, thereby preventing inadvertent release of the container,

(d) pump plunger actuating means mounted for reciprocation relative to the container mounting means and positioned for working contact with the pump plunger projecting from the container when the latter is mounted in the container mounting means, the actuating means comprising an angularly bent bar and guide means guiding the same,

(e) resilient means connected to the pump plunger actuating means and opposing the action of the lever means,

(f) link means interconnecting the lever means and the actuating means,

(g) a base,

(h) means for mounting the foot operated lever means in the base,

(i) a hollow standard extending upwardly from the base and adapted to receive the link means,

(i) and securing means on the upper end of the standard for securing thereto the container mounting means and the pump plunger actuating means,

(k) the lever means being arranged to reciprocate the actuating means between advanced and retracted positions against the resiliency of the resilient means, thereby working the plunger of the pump.

3. Apparatus for use in dispensing liquid from a container having a neck opening through which the reciprocating plunger of a pump extends, the pump having mounting means sealing the neck opening and supporting the pump Within the container, the pump plunger being hollow, forming a discharge opening communicating at its outer end with a laterally extending discharge spout supported by the plunger, said apparatus comprising:

(a) foot operated lever means,

(b) container mounting means for location at a station remote from the lever means and adapted to releasably support the liquid container, the container mounting means including a hood, pivotal hood mounting means for adjusting the hood between raised and lowered positions, abutment means hearing against the inside of the surface of the hood for positioning the same in its lowered position, and slot guide means in the hood for receiving and guiding the discharge spout in its reciprocation,

(c) pump plunger actuating means mounted for reciprocation relative to container mounting means and positioned for working contact with the pump plunger projecting from the container when the latter is mounted in the container mounting means, and

(d) link means interconnecting the foot operated lever means and pump plunger actuating means, the lever means being arranged to reciprocate the actuating means between advanced and retracted positions, thereby working the plunger of the pump.

4. Apparatus for use in dispensing liquid from a container having a neck opening through which the reciprocating plunger of a pump extends, the pump having mounting means sealing the neck opening and supporting the pump within the container, the pump also having a discharge opening extending outwardly through the neck opening, said apparatus comprising:

(a) foot operated lever means,

(b) container mounting means for locating at a station remote from the lever means and adapted to releasably support the liquid container, said mounting means including a pair of laterally resilient spring arms adapted to receive the neck of the container between them in resilient frictional engagement,

(c) a pivotally mounted hood comprising top and side walls positioned over the neck of the container and the container mounting means, the hood side walls confining the spring arms and preventing their inadvertent separation under the weight of the container,

(d) pump plunger actuating means mounted for reciprocation relative to the container mounting means and positioned for working contact with the pump plunger projecting from the container when the latter is mounted on the container mounting means, and

(e) link means interconnecting the foot operated lever means and pump plunger actuating means, the lever means being arranged to reciprocate the actuating means between advanced and retracted positions, thereby working the plunger of the pump.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 112,177 2/1871 Patric 103-208 222,916 12/1879 leininger 103-208 701,980 6/1902 Witman 222-181 X 1,989,436 1/1935 Weigand 248-312 2,43 6,030 2/1948 Abbott 222-179 2,494,147 1/ 1950 Trelease et al 222-179 2,609,987 9/1952 Navarre 248-312 X 2,628,744 2/1953 Mowbray 248-312 X 2,761,733 9/1956 Preus 239-578 X 2,772,029 11/1956 De Lucia 222-179 2,830,740 4/1958 Landis 222-179 3,153,497 10/1964 Sagarin 222-182 LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR USE IN DISPENSING LIQUID FROM A NECKTYPE CONTAINER HAVING A PLUGER-TYPE PUMP MOUNTED THEREIN AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THROUGH THE NECK THEREOF, THE PUMP ALSO HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THROUGH THE NECK OF THE CONTAINER, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: (A) FOOT OPERATED LEVER MEANS, (B) CONTAINER MOUNTING MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED SPRING ARMS ADAPTED TO RECIEVE BETWEEN THEM THE NECK OF THE CONTAINER IN RESILIENT FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT, THE CONTAINER MOUNTING MEANS BEING ADAPTED FOR LOCATION AT A STATION REMOTE FROM THE LEVER MEANS, (C) A HOOD PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE CONTAINER MOUNTING MEANS AND ADAPTED FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN RAISED AND LOWERED POSITIONS, THE HOOD BEING DIMENSIONED TO CONFINE, WHEN IN LOWERED POSITION, THE RESILIENT SPRING ARMS, THEREBY PREVENTING INADVERTENT RELEASE OF THE CONTAINER, (D) PUMP PLUNGER ACTUATING MEANS MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATION RELATIVE TO THE CONTAINER MOUNTING MEANS AND POSITIONED FOR WORKING CONTACT WITH THE PUMP PLUNGER PROJECTING FROM THE CONTAINER WHEN THE LATTER IS MOUNTED IN THE CONTAINER MOUNTING MEANS, THE 